As it stands now, it looks like they finally got Zarqawi. Personally, I'm glad he's dead. Catching him alive would've generated more problems than it would have solved. Of course it remains to be seen whether this dirtbag's death will have an impact on the insurgency in Iraq. If nothing else, I think it'll make the other terrorist leaders in Iraq more cautious. If the big kahuna of terrorism there can be gotten to, none of those bin Laden wannabes is safe. With the perception of a less permissive operating environment, they may slow down for a short time. The key for us is to keep the pressure on.
I caught an interview with former White House terrorism advisor Richard Clarke this morning on GMA. Clarke, of course, is the original expert at not getting bin Laden. He tried to downplay the role that Zarqawi played in the Iraqi insurgency. While I've never been a big fan of the mindset that "cutting the head off the snake" will put an end to terrorism, I do think that nailing some of the top dogs gives pause to the rest of their fellow travelers. Giving them pause robs them of the initiative. And that creates openings for us. I think Mr. Clarke misses that point. But then missing the point has always been his modus operandi.
No comments:
Post a Comment